Tag: back to school

23 cool backpacks for teens and big kids | Cool Mom Picks Back to School Guide 2016

23 cool backpacks for teens and big kids | Cool Mom Picks Back to School Guide 2016

Posted by | Jul 30, 2016 | |

We’re continuing our 2016 Back to School Guide with our picks for cool backpacks for teens and bigger kids this year. This is the age kids get pretty picky about what they’re wearing every day, because it really is a reflection of them. So we’ve searched the web for all kinds of cool backpacks in every price range that help reflect your teen, tween, or grade-schooler’s style. Whether they’re into emojis, Star Wars, video games, ironic retro cartoon characters, superheroes, fashion-forward metallics, or rugged rucksacks, we’ve got your backs. (Ha. Couldn’t resist.) We’re so pleased that our 2016 guide is sponsored by BIC, who’s celebrating handwriting through their Fight for...

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Shop Art Theft: A site to support indie artists, not the retailers ripping them off.

Shop Art Theft: A site to support indie artists, not the retailers ripping them off.

Posted by | Jul 29, 2016 | |

After following the awful account of indie artist Tuesday Bassen and her legal struggles with Zara, which we shared a couple weeks back,  we reaffirm our ongoing, ten-year commitment to supporting small makers and original artists — especially when they’re being ripped off by big retailers. (Sorry are we supposed to say allegedly ripped off? How about allegedly ripped off hashtag-eyeroll?) Now there’s a website from one of the artists involved in the case that makes it even easier to get the real goods. The new Shop Art Theft documents side-by-side photos of the merch sold at big retailers, alongside the original work of artists like Tuesday,...

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The coolest backpacks for preschoolers and little kids | Cool Mom Picks Back to School Guide 2016

The coolest backpacks for preschoolers and little kids | Cool Mom Picks Back to School Guide 2016

Posted by | Jul 28, 2016 | , |

It seems like our annual Back to School Guide gets earlier each year, because hey – we’re here for you, parents! Whether you’re already scrambling to get those school shopping lists covered or you’ve got a good month left to track down the best backpack or lunch box or pencil case or kawaii eraser, we’ve got you covered. So we’re excited to kick off our back to school shopping recos with an amazing selection of the coolest backpacks for preschoolers and little kids! We’ve scoured the web to find the most adorably fun backpacks that are sized or designed just for little ones, who don’t...

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The lunch box napkins that can help kids make new friends

The lunch box napkins that can help kids make new friends

Posted by | Jul 27, 2016 | |

I’m not even ready to think about back-to-school season yet, but it’s coming — and sooner than later for parents like me in the south! While I’ve never been the type of parent who attempts to learn Bento arts or make a panda bear rice ball for my kids’ lunch boxes, I do like the idea of sneaking a little something fun into their lunches. One easy — and still really practical — solution are the Napkids lunch box napkins that I just discovered. Related: The coolest lunch box accessories, water bottles, and other goodies to make school lunch more fun Each napkin is printed on...

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5 of the cutest backpacks and lunch boxes to give you a head start on back to school

5 of the cutest backpacks and lunch boxes to give you a head start on back to school

Posted by | Jul 25, 2016 | |

With lots of kids heading back to school in early August, and September really not that far behind, it’s not too soon to start thinking about back to school. Especially when they’re some of the most adorable backpacks and lunch boxes you’ll see, and at an extra special discount too. We’ve been longtime fans of mom-run business Apple Park and their eco-friendly gifts and gear for babies kids, featuring them on our site almost exactly six years ago (wow!), and now we’re so thrilled to welcome them as a sponsor. Their ridiculously cute back to school goodies, including backpacks, lunchpacks,...

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We heart the new personalized emoji labels from Mabel’s Labels

We heart the new personalized emoji labels from Mabel’s Labels

Posted by | Mar 26, 2016 | |

We all have hearts in our eyes over Mabel’s Labels’ latest design: personalized Emoji name labels for our kids’ water bottles, backpacks, toys, and — of course — favorite texting device. With three designs to choose from, parents can pick the emoji that best represents their child. No, none of them are scowling — that’s just a phase. Honest. And, thankfully, the poop icon isn’t represented in this group. Related: Fun emoji gifts: For kids or kids at heart I love that each set comes with 45 bright and durable labels, so we can add them to (and re-add them to) tons of stuff that our kids have a habit...

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Pouch goals. Is that a thing? Because it should be.

Pouch goals. Is that a thing? Because it should be.

Posted by | Mar 5, 2016 | , |

With everything you can find at Society6 — smart phone cases, laptop bags, even leggings — they’ve now added carry-all pouches and let’s just say I’ve spent waaaaaaay too long flipping through all the fabulous choices. These canvas pouches with wraparound artwork come in three different sizes, with the smaller ones a good choices for pencils or make-up, and the bigger sizes able to double as a clutch. And well, the choices are endless. Almost literally. Here are some of my favorites (whew, it was hard to choose). Related: Society6 leggings – Be still my stylish geeky heart weapons of mass...

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10 cool printable chore charts to motivate kids of all ages to clean up. Even your toddlers.

10 cool printable chore charts to motivate kids of all ages to clean up. Even your toddlers.

Posted by | Sep 10, 2015 | , |

Have your kids been slacking on their daily chores lately? Or really, have you been slacking on enforcing them? First, give yourself a break; summer just unofficially ended. Second, I’ve got help for you: download one of these cool printable chore charts for kids. They will help. I find this time of year is perfect to introduce (or reintroduce, as the case may be) daily chores and tasks, as kids are in adjustment mode. The new school year means new routines — at home, at school, and on the field.  And yes, even toddlers and preschoolers can be tasked with daily...

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Join us for a Twitter Social to help you get into the back to school groove

Join us for a Twitter Social to help you get into the back to school groove

Posted by | Sep 8, 2015 | |

Back-to-school season is in full swing, some of us just starting this week and others already a month in. But however long your kids have been in school this year, you know how hard it can be to adjust to the new schedule — homework, activities, volunteering — the list goes on. So we’re excited to be teaming up with Staples for a fun Twitter Social to talk about getting into the back-to-school groove and we hope you’ll be there too! Join us on Thursday, September 10, 9pm ET sharp to chat with our editors Liz and Kristen, a few of...

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Tips for styling cool back to school looks, and how to save while doing it

Tips for styling cool back to school looks, and how to save while doing it

Posted by | Sep 2, 2015 | |

We’ve spoken here — a lot — about never shopping online without first searching for a discount code, and one of the first places we always turn for that is RetailMeNot.com. You too? Perfect! Because they’re our newest sponsor and we love that.  Hey, any site that saves us money pretty much all the time, is a cool pick as far as we’re concerned. You can shop by store, by the best deals, by exclusives, or even search by category on the site (a feature that was new to us) to see hot items you might be looking for — like Converse...

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13 outrageously cool sneakers for kids not satisfied with the same old same old.

13 outrageously cool sneakers for kids not satisfied with the same old same old.

Posted by | Aug 25, 2015 | |

If your kids are like mine, and want to express their personality through cool kids’ sneakers, you’re in luck. That’s pretty much what’s on the shelves these days, and they’re not just the so-called fashion brands. Even the big athletic sneaker brands are getting loose with design, which means we don’t have to compromise between sturdy fit for our kids and the fun styles they want. Here are just some of my picks for some of the more fun sneaker designs for boys and girls, toddlers to big kids, that can take them back to school in style this fall. All affordable too,...

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16 adorable free printable lunchbox notes for kids: From Minecraft, to Star Wars, to fill-in-the-blank with your own words of love.

16 adorable free printable lunchbox notes for kids: From Minecraft, to Star Wars, to fill-in-the-blank with your own words of love.

Posted by | Aug 24, 2015 | |

I am never going to be the mom who makes that impressive bento lunch for my kids, featuring a Chewbacca made out of sesame noodles. But I am in fact that mom who stashes a bunch of free printable lunchbox notes in the drawer under the kitchen counter, and when I remember to tuck one in, I  know it always makes them smile. Not because I’m the kind of mom who does this thing all the time, but probably because I’m the mom who doesn’t. In other words, if I can do it…why not give it a shot? To...

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The coolest school supplies to make the year a little more fun | Back to school shopping guide 2015

The coolest school supplies to make the year a little more fun | Back to school shopping guide 2015

Posted by | Aug 22, 2015 | |

While there are certain must-haves for school, like backpacks and lunch boxes, we always love finding the coolest school supplies that just make things a little more fun this time of year. Whether you’re helping your kid express his or her individuality with a cool backpack charm, making reading time more special with personalized bookplates, or tracking down file folders in different styles —  so that there is no fighting among your kids about whose is whose — we love these little indulgences that make for big smiles. [click here for our 2016 back to school guide] And so we’re thrilled...

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The coolest backpacks for kids who carry more than a change of clothes | Back to school 2015

The coolest backpacks for kids who carry more than a change of clothes | Back to school 2015

Posted by | Aug 21, 2015 | |

We’ve already shared our picks for this year’s coolest preschool backpacks in our Back to School Guide, but now we’ve got you covered for backpacks for big kids too. Older kids, tweens and teens, as you probably know, have slightly more sophisticated taste (aw, we’ll miss those cute penguins and bunnies), plus they need more room, more pockets, and maybe a sleeve for a laptop or tablet. You might even spend a little more on a great quality backpack for older kids, since it won’t be outgrown quite so quickly. But hey, we’ve got options for every budget. Hope you love them! Related: Click...

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Web coolness: A strike against helicopter parenting, help with picky eaters, and one must-see Instagram feed,

Web coolness: A strike against helicopter parenting, help with picky eaters, and one must-see Instagram feed,

Posted by | Aug 21, 2015 | |

Here’s what we’ve liked reading around the web this week. Hope you do too!   Love what Humans of NY on Instagram is doing to document and end slave labor in Pakistan. (Photo above.) You’ll want to read every single story published in August. Looking at PPD through the lens of diversity. Is your family gender-biased? Maybe, without realizing it. And then there’s our own take on removing gender-based labels from the toy aisle. (Warning: There will be laughing.) 25 better ways to ask your kids, how was school? Helicopter parenting doesn’t work. Fantastic piece. How to get your kids to eat zucchini....

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First day of school photos: 9 ideas for easy printables and props to make posing a little more fun.

First day of school photos: 9 ideas for easy printables and props to make posing a little more fun.

Posted by | Aug 20, 2015 | |

My family was in the middle of moving halfway across the country last year when my son’s preschool started, so I missed the opportunity to take those official first day of school photos every parent loves. I’d like to think I snapped a picture of him wearing his backpack when he finally joined the class a few weeks late, but with all the chaos surrounding our move, I actually may have forgotten. So I vowed to be more prepared this year, and have actually spent some time researching first day of school photo ideas and fun props and printables in time for the beginning of...

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Getting your kids to practice their handwriting: 16 fun tips, tricks and ideas

Getting your kids to practice their handwriting: 16 fun tips, tricks and ideas

Posted by | Aug 20, 2015 | |

Call us the handwriting brigade. Seriously. From day one, even with the advent of technology and the slow decline of handwriting instruction (let alone cursive, gah!) in schools, we’ve always made it our mission to encourage kids not to lose the art of handwriting. And if it’s not asking too much, we’d like it to be as legible as possible, considering we all know at least one relative, co-worker, friend or yes, doctor,  whose handwriting is like some secret code requiring a decipher key. After a season of writing actual letters to our kids at sleepaway camp — and receiving them — it really...

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Fayvel shoes let kids play their own shoe designer

Fayvel shoes let kids play their own shoe designer

Posted by | Aug 19, 2015 | |

It’s probably no surprise that when a pair of Fayvel shoes for kids arrived at my house, my brood went nuts. There may have been some fighting, actually. Designer Erin Slater was inspired by her own nostalgia for sticker collecting to create shoes that allow today’s kids to do just that, only on their feet. The final concept is brilliant: Shoes with velcro on the sides that allows kids to customize their pair with special patches known as Frieze tags. Think Jibbitz on Crocs, but way cooler. Way way cooler.  At least to me, anyway. As it turns out, it’s not just a gimmick. The sneakers are comfortable,...

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The coolest backpacks for preschool and little kids | Back to school guide 2015

The coolest backpacks for preschool and little kids | Back to school guide 2015

Posted by | Aug 18, 2015 | |

There’s something so fun about picking out that first backpack for a younger child headed off to preschool or kindergarten for the first time. So we love helping you do that very thing! Check out our picks for the coolest backpacks for smaller kids who don’t yet have to tote six hardcover library books too and from school each day…yet. Related: Click here for our 2016 back to school guide: The coolest backpacks for preschoolers and little kids – Don’t miss a big chance to enter our back to school giveaway! We’re giving away TWO $250 Target Gift cards...

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The coolest personalized backpacks for kids? We have a serious contender.

The coolest personalized backpacks for kids? We have a serious contender.

Posted by | Aug 15, 2015 | |

Our friends at Tinyme, they of the generous free printables we often publish for our readers, happens to also design some things worth spending money on. In time for back to school, you have to check out their range of personalized backpacks and bags for kids, which is pretty mind blowing. From backpacks of all sizes to mini messengers, book totes, pencil cases, duffels, swim bags and more, you can chose from red, navy or pink and then get ready to spend like, oh, a better part of your day playing around with the hundreds of personalization options.     I cannot stop...

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